COVID antibody test WWYD

[wildrice]

What are your thoughts on getting one? Has anyone recently heard how long they think antibodies stick around?

I'm getting bloodwork done on Monday for unrelated reasons, and it looks like the lab does antibody testing. I suspect I had COVID back in late January (I had just come back from Italy and had a terrible respiratory illness), though, who knows. I am doubtful I've had it in the last 7 months, although it's possible I've had an asymptomatic case. I have had very little opportunity for exposure ever since mid-March though so I would be surprised.

It looks like it would either cost me nothing, $10, or $42, depending on what my insurance covers. My curiosity makes me want to get the test even if it is $42, but I also don't want to just flush $42 down the toilet either if it's pointless. Would an infection from late January even show up on an antibody test at this point?

WWYD?

[Deleted]

If I had the opportunity to get it done, I would. Both myself and my son were sick with awful respiratory illnesses back in February and I really think that there is a strong chance we both had Covid. I have no idea how long the antibodies last either, but I still might want to get it done.

[TR]

From what I've read, antibodies from a January infection would be gone by now. They usually last 3ish months, apparently. That said, if it were $10 I'd do it just out of curiosity. I don't think I'd pay $42.

[pixy0stix]

I did one out of curiosity. It was free. I think the latest is like TR said in that the antibodies stick around for 3ish months.

[doggielover]

I did the antibody test in June and it shows I did have it. I had a feeling I did back in the beginning of March. I would get it just for curiosity however some are known to give false positives.

[anonymous]

I just suggested That DH get one. We went to WDW and universal at the very end of January and we all came home sick but DH was terribly sick with respiratory and flu like symptoms but negative for flu. He took almost 2 weeks off Work which is unheard of for him. Id like him to get the Ab test bc the lifelong Health implications associated with this virus seem extremely concerning and I would like for him to know if he had it. I realize that the time for finding out has likely passed but I still think it’s worth the test

[Susie]

If you can donate blood, you can get a covid antibody test done for free while doing some good at the same time.  The Red Cross started testing all donor blood for covid antibodies in June, and you get the result a week or so after donating in the app.

I donated blood in April, June, and August.  In June and August I talked myself into thinking I might have had covid with one illness or another that I could recall.  They were both negative though.

[goldengirlz]

I don’t think there’s any downside, but I guess the question to ask yourself is what you might do with that information. I know a number of people in NY who found out they do have antibodies (usually confirming what they already knew) but they’re still wearing masks, social distancing, avoiding high risk family members, etc. One friend said she’s still terrified about the possibility of re-infection (however rare.) She’s a healthcare provider in NY who had a bad case in the spring.

Still, I guess like someone else said, knowledge is power. Just in case it’s something you need for your medical history down the road. There’s still a lot we don’t know about the long term effects of being infected.

[lagom]

If you donate blood they are still testing for COVID antibodies. The Red Cross had my results in less than a week.

[lagom]

Sept 18, 2020 14:39:14 GMT -5 Susie said:

If you can donate blood, you can get a covid antibody test done for free while doing some good at the same time.  The Red Cross started testing all donor blood for covid antibodies in June, and you get the result a week or so after donating in the app.

I donated blood in April, June, and August.  In June and August I talked myself into thinking I might have had covid with one illness or another that I could recall.  They were both negative though.

You were faster than me!

[wildrice]

Sept 18, 2020 14:42:06 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

I don’t think there’s any downside, but I guess the question to ask yourself is what you might do with that information. I know a number of people in NY who found out they do have antibodies (usually confirming what they already knew) but they’re still wearing masks, social distancing, avoiding high risk family members, etc. One friend said she’s still terrified about the possibility of re-infection (however rare.) She’s a healthcare provider in NY who had a bad case in the spring.

Still, I guess like someone else said, knowledge is power. Just in case it’s something you need for your medical history down the road. There’s still a lot we don’t know about the long term effects of being infected.

Honestly, I don't think I'd change behavior, especially since they aren't sure if antibodies really protect you at this point. Which is actually part of my hesitation - what is really the point, other than curiosity? Do I need to blow money to gather useless data? Lol. 

Good point about long term effects, though. 

As far as donating blood, I don't do that. I've actually passed out from a blood draw before, so I've avoided getting it done unless absolutely necessary since then - it makes me too anxious! I've often though I should suck it up and try again, but IDK. 

[iknowthismuchistrue]

Everything I’ve read show that antibiotics would be long gone by now from a January infection. I traveled the end of January and got sick in February. I missed an entire week of work and had ever Covid symptom there is. I didn’t have an easy way to get a test then. When I went in for an antibody test in late June, I did not have any antibodies. Clearly, I could have not had it but the doc said either way antibiotics wouldn’t be there then.

[wanderingback]

I’ve never gotten antibody test although I was exposed all through March-June taking care of covid patients. I don’t know I just never thought it would be helpful for me at all or change anything.

A friend did have symptomatic covid in March and recently did another antibody test and it was positive, but below the level to donate to other people. There can be quantitative and qualitative results.

I switched jobs now but back in July some people were getting antibody tests as well because family members were diagnosed in March and some were positive. So yes antibodies can last longer than 3 months.

[pinkdutchtulips]

I’d get it done ... we think my house got hit w it mid Dec through mid Feb

[tacom]

Sept 18, 2020 15:42:49 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Sept 18, 2020 14:42:06 GMT -5 goldengirlz said:

I don’t think there’s any downside, but I guess the question to ask yourself is what you might do with that information. I know a number of people in NY who found out they do have antibodies (usually confirming what they already knew) but they’re still wearing masks, social distancing, avoiding high risk family members, etc. One friend said she’s still terrified about the possibility of re-infection (however rare.) She’s a healthcare provider in NY who had a bad case in the spring.

Still, I guess like someone else said, knowledge is power. Just in case it’s something you need for your medical history down the road. There’s still a lot we don’t know about the long term effects of being infected.

I would do absolutely nothing differently, but I would know I’d survived COVID.

Yep. I developed pneumonia in January after my son brought a “cold” home from daycare.

Thinking I developed pneumonia from a cold at age 29 is scary.

Thinking I developed pneumonia from covid but managed to stay out of the hospital makes me feel much more reassured.

I wouldn’t change my behavior, but I could let go of some fear.

Unfortunately when I asked my doc about antibody testing in April, she wasn’t sure how to make it happen or interpret the results. I assume I’m too late now.

[eb777888]

Someone on the HIH board told me that false positive antibody tests for Covid are not uncommon and I'm wondering if that's true. I know nothing about this sort of testing. David's former teacher lost her (relatively young and healthy) husband to covid in July. He was sick mid-June, tested negative for covid, got better and appeared to be healthy, then ended up on a ventilator two weeks later and passed away on July 4th. He tested positive for the antibodies.
I understand how a person with covid can test negative on a covid test, but I thought you either have the antibodies or you don't? How does one have a false positive if they didn't have it? Sorry for piggybacking on your post, but I have been wondering this and I see some medical people in here and I was wondering if they might know.

[wanderingback]

Sept 18, 2020 16:18:42 GMT -5 eb777888 said:

Someone on the HIH board told me that false positive antibody tests for Covid are not uncommon and I'm wondering if that's true. I know nothing about this sort of testing. David's former teacher lost her (relatively young and healthy) husband to covid in July. He was sick mid-June, tested negative for covid, got better and appeared to be healthy, then ended up on a ventilator two weeks later and passed away on July 4th. He tested positive for the antibodies.
I understand how a person with covid can test negative on a covid test, but I thought you either have the antibodies or you don't? How does one have a false positive if they didn't have it? Sorry for piggybacking on your post, but I have been wondering this and I see some medical people in here and I was wondering if they might know.

Most (all?) tests can have false positives.
Where I work we recently had a patient with a false HIV test which the most commonly first screening test is an antibody test.

In regards to Covid it can also be due to detecting other coronaviruses and not just covid19, since most of us have been exposed to other coronaviruses. Test developers determine essentially what the cut off is for a "positive," this determines the sensitivity and specificity, so this can lead to false positives if the cut off isn’t determined correctly.

[eb777888]

Sept 18, 2020 16:41:04 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

Sept 18, 2020 16:18:42 GMT -5 eb777888 said:

Someone on the HIH board told me that false positive antibody tests for Covid are not uncommon and I'm wondering if that's true. I know nothing about this sort of testing. David's former teacher lost her (relatively young and healthy) husband to covid in July. He was sick mid-June, tested negative for covid, got better and appeared to be healthy, then ended up on a ventilator two weeks later and passed away on July 4th. He tested positive for the antibodies.
I understand how a person with covid can test negative on a covid test, but I thought you either have the antibodies or you don't? How does one have a false positive if they didn't have it? Sorry for piggybacking on your post, but I have been wondering this and I see some medical people in here and I was wondering if they might know.

Most (all?) tests can have false positives.
Where I work we recently had a patient with a false HIV test which the most commonly first screening test is an antibody test.

In regards to Covid it can also be due to detecting other coronaviruses and not just covid19, since most of us have been exposed to other coronaviruses. Test developers determine essentially what the cut off is for a "positive," this determines the sensitivity and specificity, so this can lead to false positives if the cut off isn’t determined correctly.

That is super helpful, thank you.